Under-19: Wales U-19 37 Ireland U-19 6

Pat Murray’s Ireland Under-19s slipped to their second Six Nations defeat in the space of six days on Friday – shipping six tries to their Welsh counterparts at Bedwas RFC.

UNDER-19 SIX NATIONS: Friday, March 4
Wales U-19 37 Ireland U-19 6, Bedwas RFC
Scorers: Wales: Tries: Ken Owens 3, Nick Gill, Jonathan Spratt, Stuart Phillips; Cons: Gareth Williams-Davies 2; Pen: Williams-Davies
Ireland: Pens: Robert Kearney 2

Former Clongowes school-boy star Robert Kearney – an Irish Examiner/TV3 National Junior Sports Star Award winner earlier this week – scored Ireland’s only points, as he did in the 47-6 loss to England, kicking two first-half penalties.

The Irish – with full-back Kearney as their captain – were badly undone in the first-half – losing it 22-6 – as Carmarthen Athletic hooker Ken Owens bagged a two of his three tries.

The visitors had conceded a first-minute try to Cardiff wing Nick Gill.

Owens burrowed over from a maul two minutes into the second half to complete his hat-trick, and despite some dogged Irish defence, centre Jonathan Spratt and Stuart Phillips also got in for late scores.

Wales U-19: Jamie Roberts (Rumney/Blues); Darren Daniel (Llanelli/Scarlets), Tom Cheeseman (Bath/Exiles), Jonathan Spratt (Neath Ath/Ospreys), Nicholas Gill (Cardiff/Blues); Gareth Williams-Davies (Cardiff/Blues), Martin Roberts (Neath/Ospreys); Rhys Gill (Ystrad Rhondda/Blues), Ken Owens (Carmarthen Ath/Scarlets), Richard Wilkes (Bedwas/Dragons), Bradley Davies (Beddau/Blues), Will Jones (Cardiff/Blues), William Waldron (Newport/Dragons), Ben Lewis (Mumbles/Ospreys) (Capt), Adam Powell (Cardiff/Blues).
Replacements: James Littlehales (Mumbles/ Ospreys), Craig Mitchell (Neath/Ospreys), Sam Wahdan (Llanharan/Blues), Nicky Downs (Caerphilly/Dragons), Stuart Phillips (UWIC/Scarlets), Ashley Smith (Newport HSOB/Dragons), Alex Walker (Newport/Dragons).

IRELAND UNDER-19:

(15) Robert Kearney (UCD) (Capt)
(14) Robert Boles (Colston’s College)
(13) Fergus McFadden (Clongowes Wood College)
(12) Darren Cave (Sullivan Upper High School)
(11) Alan McCormack (Lansdowne)
(10) Evan Ryan (UCC)
(9) Matthew D’Arcy (Dublin University)
(1) Gary Walsh (UL Bohemians)
(2) Gavin O’Meara (Lansdowne)
(3) Kevin Griffin (Shannon)
(4) David McGowan (Buccaneers)
(5) Fergal Walsh (UCC)
(6) Daniel Dawson (Cooke)
(7) Diarmuid Laffen (Dublin University)
(8) David Sherry (Ard Scoil Ris)

Replacements:

(16) Callum Black (Hartpury College)
(17) Brendan Lynch (Rotherham)
(18) Conor Muldoon (Galwegians)
(19) Adrian Saunderson (Ballyclare)
(20) Killian Lett (UCD)
(21) Eric Moloney (UCC)
(22) Greg Cooney (Old Belvedere)
(23) Frank Daly (Thomond)
(24) Chris Kenefick (UCC)
(25) Nigel Lysaght (Blackrock College RFC)

Coach: Pat Murray
Assistant Coach: Bryan Hyland
Manager: Michael Cunningham

HT: Wales U-19 22 Ireland U-19 6
Referee: Sean Davey (England)